Levi Onwuzurike has missed significant time in training camp with a back injury for the second straight summer, but Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said he expects the young defensive tackle to be ready for the regular season.
Onwuzurike has not practiced since getting injured in a pile up Aug. 1. Last year, he missed about two weeks of training camp and one preseason game with an injury that dated to his college days at Washington.
“We just got to get it calmed down,” Campbell said before practice Tuesday. “The kid’s in a good place and he’s getting back from it, he’s put in a lot of good work and so get him calmed down and get him right, get him realigned and I think he’ll be fine.”
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Onwuzurike is expected to play a key rotational role on the Lions’ revamped defensive front this fall. He had one sack in 16 games as a rookie last season and is competing for a starting job with veteran Michael Brockers.
Campbell, who described Onwuzurike’s injury as a back and hip injury, said he is not particularly worried yet about whether the lack of summer reps will stunt Onwuzurike’s development.
“Certainly all the reps he can get are good for him. He needs them. He needs all of them, just like all these young players do,” Campbell said. “But at the same token, he’s doing all he can do and we’re doing all we can do to help him get back out there. And he’s getting better every day and progressing, so we’ll just take it as it comes.”
Third-year outside linebacker Julian Okwara missed his fourth straight practice Tuesday with an undisclosed injury, but also should be ready for the regular season opener Sept. 11 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Campbell said.
“Both of them have, I would say it’s not serious (injuries) but yet it’s enough to where I can’t tell you, is it going to be a week? Two weeks?” Campbell said. “But it’s not a serious long-term issue, either one of those guys.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.